Michael eunstetlee



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

M. RUNSTETLER. Corn Planter. No. 231,104. Patented Aug. 10,1880.

2 Sheets-.Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M. RUNSTETLBR.

Corn Planter. No. 231,104:

Patented Aug. 10,1880.

IE g.10.

NJPHERS. FHUTD-UTHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTON. D, C.

UNITED STATES PATEE Ng MICHAEL RUNSTETLER, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TOTHE FARMERS FRIEND MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

CORN-PLANTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 231,104, dated August10, 1880,

Application filed May 17, 1880. (No model.)

To all whom'it may concern: Fig. 9 is a cross-section of the conesprocket- Be it known that I, MICHAEL RUNSTETLER, wheels and clutchdevice. Fig. 10 is a horiaeitizen of the United States, residing atDayzontal elevation of part of the clutch device ton, in the county ofMontgomery and State and drive-gear. Figs. 11 and 12 are elevaof Ohio,have invented certain new and usetions of the clutch with immediateconnections ful Improvements in Corn-Planters, of which broken and insection. Figs. 13 and 14 are the following is a specification.elevations ofone of the clutch sprocketwheels. 1 My invention relates toan improvement in Fig. 15 is an elevation showing the back ofcorn-planters of the class employing a main one of the sprocket-wheels.Fig. 16 is a ver- 10 frame mounted on wheels, which main frameticalelevation ofthepitman-connection bracket is combined with arunner-frame in front, and on the dropper-rod. Fig. 17 is a plan view,so attached to the main frame that it may be partly in section, of thesame. Fig. 18 is a either a rigid or yielding planter, and alsoemperspective view of the clutch-lever. ploying cone-gears anddriving-chains to actu- A A represent the main frame; 13, the axle; 15ate the dropping mechanism for planting, and B, grooved wheels; O, theseat-standard; F, adapted to be used either as a rigid or yieldthefoot-lever; N H L G, the runner-frame. in g planter. These several partsare fully described in prior My improvement consists, first, in thearpatents. rangement of a lifting hand lever mounted (1 represents ashaft journaled at one end to 20 upon a shaft and connected to thefoot-lever the main frame and at the other to the seatcentrally pivotedto the main frame, the forstandard.

ward end of which lever is hinged to the run- 0 representsthejournal-bracket at the seatner-frame, and the several parts being soarstandard, the foot-lever F being rigidly conranged thattherunner'frame may be controlled nected to and journaled on the shaft(1. 25 by either the hand-lever or foot-lever, or both, D represents ahand-lever rigidly attached at the will of the operator, the hand-leverto shaft (1. being combined with detachable fastening de- E represents asegmental notch-plate rigidly vices, so as to be set in proper positionto fastened to the main frame A. form a rigid planter, and so that thefasten- (1 represents a lock for lever D, passing o ing devices canbedispensed with and the through the shoulder of lever D, and engaghandand foot levers used to control the opering at one end with thesegmental notch-plate ation of the machine when used as a yielding E,and hinged at the other end to a bell-crank planter. Y lever, (1 themovement of which looks and The invention further consists of otherfeaunlocks the lifting-lever D. 3 5 tures, all of which will be fullyhereinafter de- When it is desired to operate the machine scribed indetail. as a yielding planter the lockin g device (7/ is In theaccompanying drawings, Figure l is thrown out of connection with thesegmenta side elevation, partly in section, of a cornplate and securedby a hasp, (1 the hand and planter embodying the first features of myfoot levers then being free to vibrate with the 40 invention. Fig. 2 isa front elevation, partly runner-frame and under control of the operinsection, of the same. Fig. 3 is a broken ator. When the locking devicesof the liftplan view, partly in section, showing the coning-lever D arebrought into operation theopnection between the hand and foot levers.erator sets the runner-frame in any given po- Fig. 4 is an elevationshowing one of the runsition by means of lever D, the lock-lever hold-45 ners with my improved dropping devices. Fig. ing it rigid, but undereasy control of thehand; 9 5 5 is a vertical front elevation of thedropper or the foot-lever may be used to assist in rais mechanism. Fig.6 is a side elevation of the ing or lowering the frame, and the weightof same. Fig. 7 is a plan of the improved drivthe driver may be thrownupon the foot-lever ingmechanism. Fig. 8 is a side elevation, to forcethe runners into the ground if neces- 50 partly in section, of the same,line 00 m, Fig. 7 sary. 10o

P represents the dropper-valveplaced in the grain-spout 5 9, apivot-bolt on which the valve P oscillates. P is a partition in thegrain-spout, and held in a fixed position in the bottom portion thereofby means of the lugs R R, but readily detachable therefrom by removal ofthe bolt 19, upon which it is suspended.

In the operation of valves of this kind great difficulty has beenexperienced in uniformly dropping the seed when used as a drill. If thevalve is removed entirely the seed drops out too far in the rear to bewell covered, and if the partition alone is removed the operation of thevalve interferes with the regular dropping of the seed.

To obviate these difficulties I have made the lower portion of the valvewhich covers the grain-channel removable, so as to deposit the seedbetween the heels of the runners, beneath the surface of the ground, thegrain-ch annel be ing always open for the continuous dropping of theseed.

Fig. 6 shows the preferred form of joint for making the valvedetachable.

K represents the driving-gear attached to one of the main wheels, thepreferred form being shown in Fig. 8.

K represents a pinion mounted or cast on sleeve S, through which passesthe shaft S, which is rigidly attached to said sleeve and pinion.

H represents two slots or openings cut on the inner end of sleeve S.

n represents a sliding-clutch collar having -a circular groove, 12, andmounted loosely on pinion-shaft S.

I represents a lever hinged to the bracket E by bolt 1'.

T represents acone sprocket-wheel, a series of which may be used, andcast in separate pieces and united by clutches, as shown in Figs. 9, 13,and 15; or they may be castin one piece. They are connected with thesliding clutch n, and slide laterally with it on shaft S. By moving thelever I the clutch n and cones T may be made to engage or disengage withthe revolving sleeve S and clutch N, thereby throwing the transmitter inand out of gear.

T represents sprocket wheels fixed on a shaft and suitably journaled inbracket-bearings attached to the cross-pieces L L of the runner-frame.

V represents a bevel-pinion on the opposite end of said shaft, whichengages with a corresponding bevel-wheel, V, which is journaled andsupported on a bracket, T as shown in Fig. 7.

X represents a crank pin on the face of bevel-wheel V.

Xrepresents a forked pitman journaling on said crank-pin, and supportedon its opposite end preferably by a roller, r, working in a slottedbracket, Y, (shown in Figs. 16 and 17,) and performing the functions ofan ordinary wrist, but in a more efficient manner. Bracket roller 1' isimportant, as it imparts a sudden motion to the seeding devices at eachend of the stroke, causing an instantaneous dropping of the seed.

The feet of brackctY are slotted to allow of adjustment to regulate theplay of the roller 1 and the stroke of the pitman.

Wrepresents an ordinary drive or sprocket chain.

10 represents a crank-shaft pivoted to the frame A and carrying aroller, U, resting upon the drive-chain W. It is made of sufficientweight to take up the slack of the drivechain when the machine is usedas a yielding planter. It is shown as flanged and sliding laterally withthe drive chain, but it may be smooth and made of a length correspondingwith the width of the cone T.

I do not broadly claim the operation of the seed-slide in aseeding-machine by means of sprocket-wheels and a chain, as in PatentNo.196,291, and neither do I claim, broadly, the operation of the seedingdevices by a gearconnection with one of the supporting-wheels, as inPatent N 0. 210,214, as such are not my present invention.

I claim- 1. In a corn-planter having the rear main frame mounted onsupporting-wheels, the front runner-frame hinged or pivoted to the mail?frame and operated by an elevating and depressing lever pivoted to themain frame, having its front end slotted and connected to therunner-frame by a bolt passing through said slot, in combination withthe shaft d and the lifting hand-lever D, rigidly attached to saidshaft, for elevating, depressing, and controlling the runner frame,substantially as herein set forth.

2. In a corn-planter having the main runnerframe mounted onground-wheels, a runner frame hinged to the main frame, and having atransversely-arranged bar for reciprocating IIO the seed-droppingdevice, the combination of a sprocketwheel journaled on the main frameand connected by a clutch device with a drivinggear on the ground-wheel, a sprocketchain, a sprocket-wheel fixed to a shaft journaled onthe runner-frame, the bevel-gearing, and a pitman connecting said shaftwith the transverse bar for reciprocating the latter to actuate theseed-droppers, all essentially as herein shown and described.

3. In a corn-plantin g machine, the slotted or open bracket Y, forconnecting the pitman to the reciprocating bar, having the bearing ortram way Y, for supporting a forked pitman, X, substantially as hereinset forth.

4. In a corn-planting machine, the bracket Y, made in two parts, withthe slotted feet for 10 whereby the lower portion is readily removedwithout disturbing the other parts of the seeddropping mechanism,substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing wit- 1 nesscs.

MICHAEL RUNSTETLER.

Witnesses WARREN MUNGER, BENJAMIN KUHNs.

